Queen of His Heart
by Fey Effervescence
Summary: [Oneshot]Have you ever been in love? Truly? Wholly? So much so that the thought of living without your destined one was an unfathomable possibility? Well, Noctis has. These are his fondest memories of Lightning, the queen of his heart.


**A/N: This is just a random idea that popped into my head. It takes place after the events of Lightning Returns.**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XIII, or any of its sequels, nor do I own Final Fantasy XV (Versus XIII) so no trying to sue me!**

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**Queen of His Heart**

I couldn't forget her. I still can't. And if I'm honest with myself, chances are I never will. Lightning. They say it was merely an exchange of electrons between the sky and ground, but to me it was heaven talking to the earth. Lightning. That was her name. Éclair in actuality, but it was all the same, and gazing upon her I couldn't help but be reminded of an angel walking amongst us pitiful sublunary creatures. She was a living dream with her carnation gossamer for hair and eyes of stagnant midday sky, with a face I hadn't the imagination to conjure. She possessed a deceptive beauty that hadn't at all alluded to her exceptionally deadly combat prowess. I myself had the displeasure of being on the receiving end of a punch or two, but with every swing of her fist, I was knocked further and further into the ineluctable depths of love.

Lightning. My darling, Lightning. Light of my sky, commander of my eye. I may have been a prince, but I was her subject. At her slightest request, the world was hers. She needed only say so. She already had my heart, surely the world was nothing. However, I quickly learned the material was of no interest to her. Gil and jewelry were as paltry to her as social ascension. My closeness was enough to content her, and she'd not hesitated to prevent my forgetting. Many an elaborate gift was rejected by her and unflinchingly deemed superfluous. This confused me initially as it'd gone against all I'd learned in the art of wooing a lady, but I was happy nonetheless. For once, I was enough. To her, my title was merely a title, and hadn't in the slightest defined me in her eyes.

I can recall our first encounter as easily as I can recall my own name.

**XXX**

I found myself upon the sandy shores of a deserted beach, the summer air for once bearable. So much had been going on earlier that day. My father tortured me with a lengthy diatribe concerning responsibility and the carelessness of my actions, and how important it was I kept the future in mind. Not just my future, but that of the kingdom and those contained within it. I needed a break from it all. So I left. I didn't care where I'd gone, just as long as I'd gotten there. Eventually, I came to the far away shores, on the outskirts of the kingdom, remote from civilization. My black suit hadn't been appropriate for such a setting, so I carelessly threw my jacket to the ground, discarding it with no regret. Regal attire had never appealed to me. The sound of the surf was calming, and I'd lost track of time listening to its soothing music. That's when I saw her.

She stood at the water's edge, the rolling ocean waves exalting her, eagerly kissing her feet. Lustrous pink wispy hair rested over left shoulder, floating in the wind, the straightened portion similar to my own darkened spikes. She was ponderous, eyes focusing on the distant horizon and the churning waters, lips resting neutrally upon her face. There was nothing adorning her but simple denim shorts, and a thin, long-sleeved cream top that appeared two sizes too big, making visible one bare shoulder and the scarlet strap of her bra. The sight of her arrested me. She'd been proportioned by the gods with perfection in mind, and they'd not faltered in their task. Thin yet lissome, the alluring curves of her body, kept me fervently engaged.

It was then she looked at me, almost as if feeling my probing eyes against her. This action, though minor, thrilled me. It allowed me to fully appreciate her face's elegance, and its heart shape. Big blue eyes were fueled with expression, that spoke more loudly than both her and the vacant expression she sported. In her eyes was strength, but also was there sorrow, that to me was aberrant yet profound. I was drawn to her. She inspired within me an obsession that'd not only seized my mind, but also my spirit. I ached for her. And I still do. Not in the way the lascivious ached for venereal relief, but in a way only characterized by a profuse pang in the chest and a jittering of the knees. She transformed my every extremity to gelatin. I thought I'd known what love was, but it wasn't until then I realized I'd been pathetically nescient. Yet I with immediacy knew she'd be the one to teach me. And she did. Even though at the time, she was just as innocently ignorant as I.

For quite a time, we stood there, whiling away the seconds holding the other's gaze. Soon I'd realized the awkwardness of the situation, and attempted to gather my voice. It'd taken a lot more mental fortitude than it should have for someone who had lived to see their twenty-first summer, but I managed. "H-hi."

"Hi." Her voice was a canorous blend of bliss and magic as she spoke, coming far more easily than my own. It'd not been irritatingly high like most girls I knew, nor had it been unappealingly deep. It was just right. There'd been more experience in her tone than her age belied, a precociousness alluding to an uneasy life. That alone engendered a thirst for knowledge regarding all things relating to the fey beauty.

"I'm. . . ," again it was hard to speak, the fanciful creature before me making me insecurely cognizant of myself. "My name's, N-Noctis," introductions had never been my strong point. I anxiously rubbed the back of my neck as I awaited her response.

"Lightning."

"'Lightning'," I found myself repeating. "What are you doing out here?"

"Minding my own business," I was unguarded by her response, unsure of what to say next. No one had ever spoken to me in such a manner; so bluntly. Her cold words contradicted her enchanting physicality, and I was instantly taken aback.

"I'm sorry for having disturbed you," I spun quickly and retreated the way I'd came, feeling incredibly foolish for thinking someone as captivatingly radiant as Lightning, would ever willingly choose to beguile someone as simple as myself. There was no mistaking me for a suave gentleman. I wasn't particularly made of brawn, and I'd in no way possessed any of the character traits fitting someone of my status. She was too good for me. I'd not known a thing about her, but I'd known that much.

"Wait."

Halting, I faced her once more.

She said nothing.

There was a slim window of opportunity, steadily closing before me, and I eagerly dove through it, "Can I join you?" I blurted at once.

"If you want."

And I did want. More than anything. Walking towards her, I stood at the shore, uncaring of the water soaking my shoes and the bottoms of my pants. "You're not from around here, are you?" Her hair's color was unlike any I'd ever laid eyes upon.

She shook her head, "No. I'm not."

"Then where?"

"A place long forgotten."

Befuddled by her response, I silently pondered her words. "Cool. Never been there before," I casually joked. And that was the start of our relationship, and my existence.

**XXX**

Months rolled along with the currents of time, but I hadn't seemed to notice. Most of my time since that meeting at the ocean's edge was spent basking in the light of Lightning's brilliant beauty. Why'd she'd chosen to entertain my presence, I still to this day am struggling to comprehend. I may have put on the airs of confidence and coolness, but she more than anyone saw through my ruse. I suppose in a lot of ways, she was what I wanted to be: someone sure of themselves. Not to insinuate I'd been a man who wasn't, but I'd the tendency for overzealousness, often misjudging my capabilities with an inflated sense of ego. But not Lightning. She was in tune with herself, and acutely aware any shortcomings she possessed. Often times my brash actions were a ploy to earn her admiration, but I'd quickly discovered it had only earned her irritation instead.

I can aptly recant one such time where we'd found ourselves perfunctorily ambling the forests bordering Lucis. The sky was cloudless, and the sun shone brightly above, not that we were able to fully appreciate it. Thick canopies obscured our vision of the heavens, only allowing trace amounts of sunshine to filter through the unending maze of leaves and branches. I can't quite remember how we came to be in this place, but I do remember the emotions coursing through me that day. I happily admired the way light and shadow played along her skin, and delighted in the feint flowery scent of blooming roses and lilacs drawing me unnoticeably nearer her.

"We're lost, aren't we?" she said disrupting the romantic atmosphere, that only I seemed aware of.

"Totally," I contently answered. "But I don't mind being lost," as long as it was with her.

"That is until we die of starvation."

I laughed, "I doubt it'd come to that."

"You're right, it won't. I'm eating you long before that happens."

"Not if I eat you first," my response had a hidden implication I was thankful she'd been ignorant of. If she'd known what I meant, I'm not entirely sure I'd be able to share this tale.

"Don't worry, I'll get you home safely," she teased. "Lucky you, I know a thing or two about being lost."

"Do you now?" I was intrigued.

She nodded, "I've had survival training, back when I was in the Bo—" she paused.

"Back when you were in the what?"

"It's nothing," she wistfully responded. A sigh passed her lips, "C'mon."

Her sudden shift in tone and demeanor concerned me. Was it something regarding her mysterious past? What had happened back then? At this point, she hadn't told me anything about her life before I'd entered it, and this plagued me for many nights. I'd come to learn it was never wise to push with her. She was predictably unpredictable, and I wasn't sure if she'd hit me or not.

We pressed onward, silence our new companion. I'd have given anything for the ability to read Lightning's mind, except for Lightning herself.

Approaching a fresh water stream, she took residence atop a large rock, while I unfastened my canteen from my side and crouched down. I allowed the water to flow freely into the container, and once rising, I deposited a water purification tablet to eradicate any undesired pathogens. A furtive glance over my shoulder, and I witnessed Lightning despondently regarding her booted feet. It was a vision of her that cut me deeper than any of the opponents I'd faced in my protection of the kingdom's crystal. "Lightning."

Her head slowly lifted and I cautiously approached.

"You can talk to me," sincerely assured I, "About anything. I mean it. I won't. . . I won't think differently of you."

"I'll keep that in mind. . . ," it appeared she didn't have much faith in my words.

"Light, I'm serious. I'd never think you anything less than awesome."

My words surprised her, her expressive eyes widening. Spreading, afterwards, across her face was a small smile. "I believe you."

"As the prince, I command you to," I kidded, puffing my chest and speaking haughtily.

With her spirits reinvigorated, she rolled her eyes and leapt to her feet, "Yeah, the Prince of Doofus."

Her playful jab brought forth a chuckle from me, "And as the Prince of _Doofus_," I began happily playing along, "I'd be more than delighted if m'lady continued to accompany me on this most glorious of nature strolls."

She battled with laughter, biting gently upon her lower lip, "Fine. Whatever, Your Lameness." Futilely she tried to retain a straight face. Seeing her happiness instilled within me the same.

I quickly strode to her side and bowed, and gesticulated with a wave of the arm the path we were to take, "After you." Obliging me, she walked along and I swiftly procured my place beside her.

The hours had come and gone, and we spent them admiring the splendorous colors of flowers and fauna. We'd both been far from talkative types, but words came easily in her presence, and I began to think I'd spoken more with her than the totality of my life beforehand. With Lightning, I felt complete, able to be my myself. In truth, I probably was a lame doofus, but next to her there'd been no need to veil it with solemnity or aloofness. Maybe it'd been naïve of me to be so careless with my words, most especially given my station as prince, but internally I knew whatever secrets I'd whispered into her ear would be kept with by an unbreakable discretion; a silent agreement neither of us could or would betray. Honestly, she was nearly as mysterious to me as the day I'd first set eyes on her. She'd knew much of me, but not I of her; though her personality was very much clear to me. But how did the wall guarding her heart come to be? And what did she really think of me? We'd been dating, in my head at least, and I desired badly to make it a reality instead of the pathetically whimsical imagining it was. No secret was it that she treasured our friendship, she wouldn't have beguiled me if she hadn't. But there persisted within me an unrelenting longing for more. A longing that began ever since first I saw her.

Suddenly came the rustling of nearby foliage and coincident growling. I stayed Lightning with my hand, which protectively curled around her thin arm. Then it came. A wild black behemoth flouncing from the vegetation, it's mouth drooling viscous saliva and fangs bared. It repeatedly pawed the ground, prepping for an attack. "Stay back, I've got this."

"Noctis, no!" the beast charged forward, and I ignored her. This was my chance to showcase my fighting ability before her; to show her I was more than a spoiled prince, and was in fact a man worthy of her affections. There was no way I was willing to let such an opportunity pass me by.

I pulled into existence a sturdy claymore, wielding it with a single hand. Protecting Lightning was my goal, in addition to impressing her, so I drew the animal's attention, flinging at it irritating fireballs that struck it about the face. Successful in my intentions, I dashed away, the creature trailing me. Naturally, my foe was quicker than I, but that was to be expected. It'd raised a clawed paw and prepared to swipe me, but I'd foreseen such an attack; animals were generally predictable. Or so I thought. Before it'd gotten a chance to strike me, I'd blinked from visibility only to materialize atop it's back in a flash of blue, my sword poised high above my head. Quickly, I'd sunk my blade into it's back, prompting the behemoth to loudly roar and thrash about. Unfortunately, I was catapulted high into the air, and violently crashed into a tree. It'd certainly not been the heroic act I'd been going for. To make matters worse, the animal was charging towards me.

And both to my surprise and my horror, Lightning appeared before me, thrusting herself between the behemoth and I. "LIGHTNING, NO!"

What had happened next, was difficult for me to process. Lightning summoned her own sword, a weapon of crimson and black, and kicked off the ground towards our animalistic harasser. So powerful and rapid was her movement, I'd felt a sudden wind grace my face, leaves long fallen swirling where she once stood. And it was over. Her sword's point dug deeply into the forehead of the animal, instantaneously severing its ties to a mortal existence. She kicked off the behemoth's head, extricating her weapon, and flipping rapidly as she fell before me, landing easily onto her feet. Her weapon was dismissed, and she turned to me.

"Y-you. . . you k-killed it. . . ," I was awestruck.

She said nothing.

Placing a hand upon my knee, I stood to my feet. "Magic. How do you have magic?" As far as I'd known, only those in possession of crystals or those gifted with powers from the realm of the dead, had magic. Again there was nothing, "Lightning, talk to me. Please."

Catching me off guard, she struck me about the cheek in a swift punch, knocking me back into a seated position. "DUMB ASS! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" she gritted her teeth, eyes watering, yet not allowing any tears to fall. Never before had anyone looked at me in such a manner. "YOU COULD'VE GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED! WHAT WAS THE POINT OF PACKING BEHEMOTH MACE IF YOU WEREN'T GOING TO USE IT?"

Once more I stood, my surprised eyes softening, "Lightning. . ."

She snapped her body around, casting her back to me. Her body was timorous, clenched fists at her sides.

"I'm. . . I'm s-sorry. I hadn't meant to. . . worry you," upsetting Lightning was one thing I'd never wanted to do, yet I had. I felt ashamed and small in her presence, like a child who'd been caught stealing or committing some other act of wrongness. My timidity was returning, but still, I was curious. "Wh-who are you?"

"I'm nobody."

"I find that rather hard to believe. Everybody's a somebody," I challenged.

"Yeah, well, not me. Gotta have a past to exist, and seeing as how I'm lacking one, I don't. Or rather I shouldn't."

The brows of my face knitted together. Nothing she said made sense.

"We shouldn't hang out anymore," with that she walked forward, easily defying gravity and leaping atop the behemoth, whereupon she preceded to walk down its back. Her words robbed my lungs of air, and for a moment, stilled my beating heart. Never did I want to part with her, and I wasn't going to let her exit my life so easily. "LIGHTNING!" Coming to my senses, I warped behind her. "Don't go!"

"Nothing good could ever come from being friends with me. I'm no good, Noct. Do yourself a huge favor and forget about me."

At that moment, something came over me. Anger? Confusion? Heartache? A mix of the three? But I distinctly remember yanking her towards me. Maybe I had a death wish, but I hadn't cared. I'd rather she have killed me than force me to suffer a day without her.

"Let me go, Noctis!"

"No! Not until you tell me what's going on!"

"STOP IT! JUST STOP IT! IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU I'LL. . . ," she hadn't finished her sentence. Her eyes were threatening to spill from her face, and she looked at me as if she'd uttered some unholy curse. My breath thickened, coming to me much harder. Our eyes were fixed, invisible tethers making it impossible to look away.

"Lightning. . . do you. . . ," I swallowed, opening and closing my fists. The urge to look away was powerful, but I could not. I had to gather my courage, I had to know how she felt about me. "Do you. . . uh. . . ," I babbled nonsensically for a bit longer, struggling to let the words come out. "N-not trust me?" _Love me_ I'd wanted to say, but alas could not.

She drew a breath, pouted pink lips more kissable than they'd ever been. "Noctis. . . it's not that." Advancing towards me, her hand came to rest on my chest. If she'd known how badly the simple contact excited me, she'd have run far away. "I do trust you. I just don't know if you'll believe me."

"Then give me a chance!" I pleaded. And she did.

That day, Lightning shared much of herself with me. I'd come to learn that she was a living vestige of the world before. Turned out she was someone called the Savior, an individual tasked by the god Bhunivelze to guide souls into the new world. My world. Well, that title had not been applicable for quite some time. She'd sealed herself in a tomb of crystal, and endured the passing of ages in a dreamless, youth preserving sleep. Everything was lost to her. Her friends; her family; her home. Everything from the former world was extirpated from existence, its timeline included. So in a sense, she was right. She had no past. Since awakening, she avoided society. A week had passed since her reanimation until she met anyone. Me.

I was her first friend in the new world, and that to me was special. She'd thought the same, and revealed it had been the reason she'd not forsaken me on the beach that day. I was told of her life in a coastal city called Bodhum, contained within a floating world known as Cocoon, where the entire government was governed by fal'cie, all with the ultimate goal of murdering its citizens. The legend of the gods; Pulse, Etro, Lindzei, and Bhunvelze; was virtually identical to our own mythology, albeit with a few altered banal details. She'd been the same age as me at the time, twenty-one, and biologically she still was. Once her ordeal with the murderous fal'cie was over, she'd been immediately swept into the Unseen Realm by the goddess Etro herself, where time's flow was nonexistent. There, she vicariously guarded Etro's legacy from a misguided man by the name of Caius Ballad, whose main goal was the utter eradication of the timeline. He succeeded, and that victory led to her sister's death, the erosion of her world, and ultimately Bhunivelze creating my own as a replacement.

The tale was extraordinary, something fit for children's books, but I believed her. "I'm sorry," my words were insufficient, I knew that. Nothing I said could have erased possibly a millennia or more of death and heartache. "I'll see to it you have a better life here," and I meant it.

**XXX**

"So, Noct!" Gladiolus began, clapping me roughly on the shoulder, "When exactly do we get to meet the future princess?"

"Yeah, dude. You've been keeping her away from us for a long time now. I want to see her already!" I knew the anticipation was killing Prompto. Suddenly he began laughing, "She's butt ugly, isn't she? That's why you've been hiding her all this time!"

"She is very far from ugly!" I harshly defended. "And she's not the future princess, we're not even dating" even though I more than anything wanted us to be. My secrecy however made it clear to everyone I'd loved her, no one was as guarded as I'd been when it came to someone who'd been merely a friend. "Besides, the moment just wasn't right," to be frank, I was scared my friends would earn Lightning's contempt, and I'd be made derelict by association. Never could I bare to lose her, but after we'd grown exponentially closer since our time in the forest, I figured it time she met my comrades. They would like her, or at least I hoped so. She needed more friends, and as much as I wanted to be, I couldn't always be there to quell her loneliness.

"What's this I hear regarding a future princess?" came the voice of my father, King of Lucis.

"Noct's got a girlfriend!" shouted Gladiolus and Prompto together. I growled in irritation, and met the amused expression of my father.

"Oh, does he now? Interesting. What family does she hail from?"

"Not one you'd know of," I replied, this time not denying the notion of her being my girlfriend. Given the ensuing chuckles, my friends noticed.

My father's brows furrowed, "A commoner?"

"She is anything but _common_!" I offendedly spat. This brought silence to the room, all eyes on me. "And she's not my girlfriend!" every time I spoke those words, I felt a small piece of my soul being chipped away.

"Well, then! This girl certainly has a hold on you. Why don't you bring her to the coming Crystallis Ball?" suggested my father.

"It's. . . really not her scene." I'd not doubted Lightning would look ravishing in an elegant gown, but she'd hate me if I forced her to go. Then again, if she was to one day be my princess, like I hoped, she'd have to grow accustomed to stuffy events sooner or later. Ironic considering I still hadn't. Maybe we could be nervous, anxious, uncomfortable wrecks together. I decided to ask her that night. "Actually, I'll see if I can convince her."

"Very well! Now if you'd excuse me, I have to board a flight to Solheim. And try not to get into trouble," my father walked off.

"We won't!" Gladiolus shouted after him, "I'll make sure Noct doesn't do anything stupid!" I glared. If anyone was worried about someone doing anything stupid, it was best we all kept an eye on Prompto. There'd been an anti-firearm law he rather liked to pretend didn't exist. There was no telling what other laws he'd violate, leaving it up to Gladiolus, Ignis, and I to clean up. Though I hadn't entirely minded. Some rules were undoubtedly meant to be broken. Life was more enjoyable that way, and essential to the evolution of our society.

I glanced up at the ticking clock overhead, "Light's waiting for me." I looked around, "Where's Ignis?"

Gladiolus shrugged, "Probably in the library nerding away. Why?"

"You wanted to meet her, right?" they nodded. "I figured I'd take you guys to go see her."

"R-really?" Prompto was excited at the news, "I'll go get, Specs!" He quickly scampered down the hall.

I took a deep breath, uncertain whether or not my decision was such a good idea.

As time passed, I found myself in the back seat of the car we'd usually traversed the city in; Ignis at the wheel, Prompto in the passenger seat, and Gladiolus and I stationed in the back. Perhaps a thousand questions floated freely in the air regarding Lightning, my friends asking me any and everything they could think of. Not revealing much, I assured them they could ask when they met her, but I should've known their curious impatience was hard for them to bear. The questions didn't cease, and neither did my obdurate withholding of answers. I didn't want to spoil the mystery, and hoped they saw the effulgence that enervated my reservations.

"It'll be cool having a girl in the group," said Prompto.

Gladiolus nodded, "Nothing like a little estrogen to balance things out," he looked to me, "You sure she can hang, Noct?"

Ignis was the next to speak, "That's a concern of mine as well," and it was a legitimate one. We weren't exactly the chess club.

I laughed, "I think the question is whether or not you guys can hang with her. She's pretty cool," what a vast understatement that was.

Finally, the car stopped on the desert sands of the deserted beach where I'd first met her. At once, we abandoned the confines of the car, doors simultaneously slamming shut. I led the group down a dune, easily gliding along the shifting sands. In the distance, I was able to make out Lightning's soft silhouette, which immediately frenzied my heart, a smile coming to my face. The sight of her was nothing less than sublime, and I'd only been looking at her back, my otherworldly infatuation enraptured by the sparkling sea. The nearer and nearer I drew, the more I felt as if my soul would leave my body. With a magnificence only she possessed, Lightning looked over her shoulder. The action may have seemed ordinary to some people, but everything she'd done induced within me mesmerization.

"O-oh. . . !" stammered Prompto.

Gladiolus released a whisper, "Woah. . ."

"H-hello," Ignis managed to produce, giving a nervous wave.

I couldn't restrain myself any longer, and found myself a victim of hysterics, laughing loudly with a hand upon my chest. "Hey, Light!" I was happy, and I had every reason to be. They'd liked her.

**XXX**

Lightning effortlessly captivated those close to me. Initially, she was met with suspicion from Cor, but given her directness and nonchalance, it was easy to deduce she'd been no threat to neither me nor the kingdom. In fact, my father insisted she was a welcome addition, and though I denied it, he'd known I harbored a softness for her. This he readily accepted, suggesting she was perfect as she'd not exhibited any desires for power and was just as uncaring of royal conventions as I'd been. He was right, it was incredibly boring to her. He'd also not neglected to mention her unrivaled beauty.

Yes, everyone adored Lightning, and surprisingly I wasn't sure how much that fact thrilled me. True, I'd wanted her to have as many friends as possible, but at the same time I'd grown rather possessive of her time. Part of me longed to covet her entirely, and not share her with anyone. Deep down, however, I knew that'd have been wrong and selfish. Little did I know, her thoughts resembled my own, albeit with different reasonings.

It was the day of the Crystallis Ball, and somehow I'd managed to convince a reluctant Lightning to join me. Only she was nowhere to be found. We were mere hours from the start of the event, and I'd grown worried. A stickler for time and punctuality, to have Lightning not show was terribly uncharacteristic. Was this her way of rejecting me? She had been adverse to society for so long, perhaps such a formal affair was too much too soon. Disgust bubbled within me. Disgust for myself. I should have known better than to insist she join me. It was then I'd made the decision to seek her out.

It'd not been the beach where I found her, but instead the nearby gypsum caves, enclosures of glossy gleaming crystal formed millions of years ago by magma and pressure. In fact, a lava tube was said to have flown subterraneanly beneath it. I'd no proof of this, and Lightning wouldn't have cared either way. Danger was not a deterrent, especially when she'd proved capable of protecting herself. She'd not been far within a structure, and I found her sitting right at the mouth of one atop a cliff, heeled feet limply dangling from the lip. And unsurprisingly she was a breathtaking wonderment of perdurable beauty. Adorning her was a thin, strapless gown of the purest white any man ever had the privilege to cast eyes onto. Her shoulders and arms were left bare, and the material stopped at the tops of her ankles. Her carnation hair was pulled back into a bun, wavy tresses falling down the sides of her face, and placed at the sides of her hair, multiple white verbena flowers.

"L-Lightning. . . ," I teleported before her. "What are you doing here? We're going to be late."

"I can't do it," I'd assumed she'd been talking about the Crystallis Ball until she continued. "Any of it."

"What do you mean?"

"Pretending nothing ever happened! Living a normal life!" she nearly shouted. "Having friends, hanging out with you, enjoying life. I just can't do it again!" She lowered her head and dejectedly spoke, "I'm just tricking myself. None of it could ever last. It's better if I end it now and don't get attached. I don't. . . I don't want to lose anyone important again."

Her experiences were something I couldn't fathom. I was a prince, one who had everything. I didn't fully understand what it had meant to have nothing. "It won't be the same!" I passionately consoled. "You have nothing to worry about. I'll make you happy! I promise! I'll give you whatever you want!"

She shook her head, "The one thing I want, is the one thing I could never have."

I shook my head and grasped her small delicate hands in mine, "No matter what it is, I'll get it for you."

Her head rose and she met my gaze, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Give me forever."

Her request stumped me, "I–I. . . ," words were lost to me.

"Give me friends that don't die! Give me a world that doesn't end!" she cried, vulnerably scanning me as if I alone held the answers to all her problems. Too bad I hadn't. Though I wish I did.

"I. . . I can't give you that," emotion suffused my voice. Automatically I failed her, guilt regarding my inability coursing through me, "But I can give you something else." A single hand of mine lovingly pat the top of her head, gently caressing her. "I'm not sure how much it's worth, but. . . I can give you me."

Swirling in her eyes that moment was an emotion I couldn't quite place, but it hadn't been one I'd been dreading. "Noctis. . ."

"W-would. . . would that be okay?" my finger stroked her cheek. "Would you. . . accept me?"

She looked at me with the most bedazzling, and dare I say cute, expression I'd ever seen, her gloomy gaze and the downed corners of her mouth making her face delicately fragile. Silently, she nodded her head.

Then I took a chance. My head dipped low, my lips making hesitant contact with her supple tiers. It'd taken all of my self-restraint to not deepen the kiss, because I hadn't wanted to frighten her away. I slowly pulled apart from her, and it wasn't until my lids lifted that I realized my eyes were shut. Luckily, I'd been just in time to see Lightning do the same, her porcelain cheeks deeply flustered. With words unspoken, we stared at each other, her eyes reminding me all too much of our first encounter. I used a gentle finger to brush aside her damask hair and found myself as mesmerized as the first time we stood among the ebullient ocean waves. "I love you," moving in closer, my voice lowered to a whisper, "ever since I first saw you." Again, I kissed her, and to my relief she'd not pushed me away.

"I love you," she confessed upon our parting.

My heart's palpitation was beyond measure, my eyes wide and relieved. For months I'd longed to hear those words from her pretty pert lips, and at last I had. Unable to withstand the desire that was festering within me for so long, I crashed my mouth to hers, feverishly conveying as much love and passion as I could. My intensity was matched by hers, her hands tightly gripping my hair. I lowered her back onto the cave floor, and desperately struggled to relieve her of her gown. Needless to say, we hadn't gone to the Crystallis Ball that night.

**XXX**

"See that one there?" I said pointing upward the night sky, the mesmerizing obsidian of space and the scintillating points of light overhead inveigling us. "That's the Tonberry," I traced the stars with a finger, trying to convey its shape to her. Lightning and I were laid out on the grasses of the palace grounds, our hands nearest each other twined, while the others picked out celestial bodies.

"I see it," she confirmed, her hand's movement mimicking my own as she outlined the constellation. "What's that over there?" she focused her attention on a pale blue dot to the right of it.

"That's the planet Gaia," I answered. Given her history, Lightning never had the chance to learn about the sky where she'd come from, so I was more than delighted to give her an astronomy lesson about ours.

"How many planets are there?"

"Fifteen in our immediate solar system. Countless others around other stars."

"That's. . . a lot of planets."

I chuckled, "Yeah. It is."

Lightning rolled onto her side, facing me, her arm used to cushion her head. "Noct?"

I, too rolled, doing the same, "Yeah, Light?"

"What. . . ," she trailed off, ostensibly considering her words, "What do you love about me?"

Never in a million years would I have anticipated such words from her. There was a dash of insecurity I'd never thought her able to possess. "That's. . . a difficult question to answer," I stated. "Not. . . because I don't know, but what _don't_ I love about you?" that was a question with no answer. Everything about Lightning drew me to her, her courage, her beauty, her volatility, her obstinance, her loyalty. There was nothing, good or bad, about her that wasn't endearing. "Just know that I love you hardcore."

Lightning reached forward, tracing the features of my face with a single finger, and I happily allowed her. Her finger's tip grazed my brow, the line of my jaw, the slope of my nose, my lips. . .

I sealed my eyes shut. If she persisted, I'd have ended up dozing off.

Suddenly, I felt her lips upon mine, and I subsequently cupped the back of her head, not wanting her to relinquish our lip-lock before I'd been satiated. We kissed for hours beneath the picturesque full moon, which shone above like a celestial spotlight, casting a long reaching ethereal glow. The air was a concert hall, hosting an orchestra of nocturnal life. Insects chirped and sang at every direction, and glowing fireflies danced along the gentle breeze, negligent their human audience. At last, we pulled away, transfixed by complimentary blue oculars. Life couldn't be any more divine. Not as long as I had Lightning to endure it with.

**XXX**

What happened next in the year to follow, we hadn't expected. Lucis was aflame. Enemy forces from a distant kingdom had launched a preemptive strike in order to gain the crystal. Smoke melded with the night, the screaming cries of the displaced and dying drowning out all thought. No one had seen it coming, but I'd been thankful Lightning was very far from the city. To make matters worse, our foes had been successful in their goal, managing to pilfer the crystal from the palace. War behemoths and iron giants rampaged the streets and the legions of the enemy empire canvassed the roads, mindlessly slaughtering innocent civilians. The installation of terror was their goal, and the ensuing pandemonium ensured their success. Fallen escapees were negligently trampled by fellow fleeters, stomped out of life and into the next.

The cloak of darkness played the role of both adversary and ally, and I'd used it just as the enemy had to conceal myself in the plentiful shadow. It was the only way I could successfully pursue the thieves without being gunned down. I was stealth itself, silently assassinating any who posed a threat. I put to use the lesson I'd learned from Lightning during our hike, and had not engaged any opponent far beyond my means to vanquish. I'd more reason than ever to live, and Lightning was it. I'd not desired to have my life truncated before we'd a chance to fully lay the foundation for our new one together. Lightning. She was my motivation for being. The majestic entity that coaxed by eyes to open at the slightest hint of morning light. Without her, I was nothing. So I internally vowed that I'd survive. That, that night wouldn't be my last.

Lightning. Queen of my heart; goddess of beauty and mystery. I promised to liberate the crystal in her honor. Lightning. In her name, the enemies of Lucis would know defeat, and the power of the indefatigable love I harbored for her.

I sidled along a building side, my eyes fixed on the group of enemy soldiers who'd taken the crystal. There was a lot of them, more than I could've possibly hoped to battle alone. But I'd little choice. It was either I act, or watch them vacate the city via their airships.

"_Psst!_ Noct!"

I quickly whirred around to see Prompto creeping from the shadows, the barrel of his rifle resting against a single shoulder. "Prompto!" I whispered back. I was relieved to see him. Assistance was very much needed.

"What's the plan?"

"I need you to snipe the pilot," with that done, there'd been no way the crystal would leave the city. "I'll draw their attention."

He nodded, "Got it!

While Prompto went to carry out his objective, I rushed from the cover of obscurity to carry out mine. Multiple weapons appeared at my flanks, all floating and aimed at my targets.

"THE PRINCE! FIRE!" Gunfire shook the night, bullets flying towards me yet unable to penetrate my mystical shield. It'd take more than mere rifles to subdue me, and my enemies learned that the hard way. Going on the offensive, my swords swirled and flew outward to annihilate the invaders. Blood flowed like rivers through the streets, and I valiantly fought harder than I'd ever had. It was more than a crystal they'd been attempting to steal, but the legacy of a hundred-and-thirteen generations. It was up to me to defend it.

The protective glass of the enemy airship cracked, and I'd known at once that Prompto's bullet pierced it and ended the life of the pilot inside. Things were going exactly as planned. Gladiolus and Ignis soon joined us, their added expertise expeditiously dwindling the enemy's ranks. I'd inexorably shoved my sword deep into the bowels of the crystal's wrongful carrier, my attack life-ending and swift.

"You got it!" Prompto exclaimed, running out from his post.

"Yeah, I did."

Unbeknownst to me, an extant soldier lurked, concealed by the gargantuan aircraft. With our defenses down, he lunged for me, his sword aimed for my chest. Surely, I was going to die. But then the unthinkable happened. Diving between me and my prospective killer, was the last person I'd ever wanted to see that moment. My love and savior. My darling Light. The soldier's sword burrowed into her like a razor through water, her body not providing any resistance. My darling's blood splattered my face, and horrified, my body succumbed to frenzied shakes. An anguished cry ripped from me. The world faded from existence, my reality realigning itself around my cherished inamorata. She'd no doubt spotted the smoke from a distance, and sped to my defense. I don't remember what had happened next, but I'd come to know that Prompto finished off the defiler. All I could think about was my Light. My dying Light.

"WHY?" I'd screamed at her, her body cradled in my arms as blood seeped from the corners of her mouth. It was the first time I'd raised my voice to her. My friends crowded around us. Each was panicked and loudly vocalized any ideas to save her. But there was no saving her; the blade had pierced her heart. "WHY? TELL ME!" Like a baby I bawled, tears and mucus leaking from my face. Our eyes were locked, her own tears effusively trickling. "ÉCLAIR, WHY?" I'd never used her birth name in front of others.

"B-better me, than you. . . ," was her simple selfless response. I understood her reasoning, the gods knew I did. She'd suffered a lifetime of watching friends and family die, never to again return. She sacrificed herself for me, unable to watch me fall victim to the mortal demise that'd befallen everyone she'd ever loved. It would've broken her if she had, but I hadn't cared. I'd rather her live and hurt with the pain of losing me, than endure a dawn that had come without her eyes to greet it. I suppose that was a desire we both shared.

My tears shamelessly plummeted onto her cheek, her warm life's essence immortally staining me. Grief had not been mine alone, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus all wept with me. They'd loved her almost as much as I, and blamed themselves, just as much as I, for not ensuring our position was secure before lowering our guard.

"Don't. . . worry," she weakly said, smiling up at me. "Save your tears. I'll see you again," her eyes fell shut. "I love you," a glaring blue luminosity encompassed her wholly, every inch of her radiating a brilliant crystalline.

"L-Light! Light!" I shook her, my tears coming far more rapidly. "LIGHTNING! LIGHTNING! NO!" My love disintegrated in my arms, becoming nothing more than crystal dust, glittering particles spilling like sand between my fingers. The wind swept away what it could of her, carrying her off into the unreachable heavens. I wailed loudly, my screams of heartache ripping through the kingdom.

My only memento of her, my only proof of her having existed, being the crystal rose bloom she left resting in my lap, a symbol of her heart and her tangible love.

**XXX**

_Noctis Lucis Caelum became king thereafter, his father having fallen in the battle. He died at the old age of 86. He never married or produced an heir, thus ending the line of Lucis. Upon his death, he'd been buried with the crystal rose, which became a symbol of the kingdom and the love he cherished until his parting breath._

* * *

**Yeah. . . I don't know really know what to say, so I'd like it very much if you all told me what you thought. I'm still working on Chosen, but I decided to write something short to hold you all over until the next chapter is out. I decided to take a break from the horror department as you all could see. A few of the elements are similar to Chosen, particularly the role of the sea and night sky.**

**Anyways, with Lightning's characterization with this piece, I wanted to illustrate how she'd changed and become more vulnerable since time as the Savior. She's traumatized by her memories of the past she once had, and was extremely protective of Noctis, as he was the first person she'd come into contact with since awakening and she didn't want to lose him like how she'd lost Serah, Snow, Hope, Fang, Vanille, Sazh, etc. Not only that but she'd come to love him. I wanted the ending scene to mirror the hiking scene. In both instances she jumped between of him and danger. In the LR:FFXII trailers, Lightning kept saying that she wasn't human anymore, so I wanted to give her a more magical death.**

**When it came to Noctis, I wrote it from his point-of-view to illustrate how deeply in love with her he was. Being that it wasn't told in Lightning's perspective, I couldn't have her say it, but she loved him just as much. I tried to show that during the initial bits of narration before the beach scene when Noctis spoke of her. I took out Noctis' death predicting ability, simply because it would have required I drawn this story on far longer than I intended, which I already managed to do. Yay for being longwinded!**


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